We Are Not Doing Nearly Enough to Protect Teachers

How on earth are we going to attract the best teachers to a profession that is so appallingly bad at protecting the health and safety of its own? Teaching, especially in the upper years, can be an extremely daunting and scary proposition. I don’t care what his excuse is, this student needs to be made an example of:

A high school freshman has been caught on video allegedly punching his substitute teacher and putting him in a headlock, because he said he couldn’t go to the bathroom.

The vicious attack on part-time faculty member and football coach Ron Santavicca at Gorton High School in Yonkers, New York, was recorded on a cell phone by another student in the hallway.

The 16-year-old boy, who has not been named, is seen hitting the teacher and swearing as he grabs his head.

Witnesses described how the teacher told the student he could not leave after asking if he could use the restroom – prompting him to react violently.

Senior Rocio Vidao told CBS New York: ‘The teacher was, like, telling him, “Don’t leave,” and then the kid came out of the classroom, and the teacher went after him, and that’s when the kid attacked the teacher.

‘It’s not supposed to be like that, you know. When a teacher says no, it’s supposed to be a no.’

Police were called in to investigate the incident, but the student has not been arrested or charged.

Yonkers School District have however suspended him for five days and have arranged a superintendent’s board meeting, according to NBC New York.